My, oh my. What an unseemly institutional mess for the European Union. Its presidency has been hijacked by Czech domestic politics, meaning the bloc is now being run by a lame-duck caretaker government.
But not a particularly chastened one.
Despite having lost a confidence vote on Tuesday evening, Czech PM Mirek Topolanek, who still speaks on behalf of the European Union even if no longer for his country, had a undiplomatic bash at President Barack Obama’s plans to spend his way out of the economic crisis. On Wednesday, he called Washington’s $787 billion economic stimulus plan “a road to hell” noting bluntly that “the United States did not take the right path.”.
While many member states might agree with him in principle, not one of them would couch it in those terms. Particularly as the US and EU are to meet to next week to try and agree a common approach to tackling the economic crisis at the G20 meeting in London. The comments gave rise to the unusual situation of the European Commission chastising the EU presidency, saying they were “not helpful.”
Topolanek’s outspokenness is also odd given the obvious pride with which he announced that Prague had secured a visit by Obama for a summit on 5 April. If you invite someone more important than you to your house and you are patently grateful that they have accepted to come, why publicly criticise them beforehand? That takes quite some chutzpah.
But the Czech Social Democrat opposition, organisers of the political coup, don’t come out of this particularly well either. Was it really necessary to stage a no confidence vote now? Prague’s stint at the EU helm ends on 30th June.
Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek’s justifying comments that Topolanek’s government is a “disgrace” for the EU as it has no clear position on the Union and is unable to ratify the Lisbon Treaty ring rather hollow.
The result of Tuesday’s manoeuvrings mean the Czech Republic’s presidency is now an embarrassment to the EU while ratification of the Lisbon treaty could conceivably be postponed until next year.
Of course the EU will not grind to a halt. The Czech Presidency, planned well in advance, can largely be carried forward by Czech diplomats and officials. But in politics, where perception is everything, the EU has once again been damaged.
#1 by Luboš Motl on March 25, 2009 - 10:47 pm
Well, the word “hell” was a highly diplomatic version of the actual description of the current U.S. policies. The irresponsible policies of the Obama administration are a path to the lavatory (or a part of the body above the legs, on the rear side), as the EU president probably explains more accurately.
For you, perception may be “everything” but once America starts to follow the example of Zimbabwe, you may learn that perception was not quite everything, after all, and that you should have listened to Mr Topolánek’s wise remarks.
#2 by DamienRM on March 27, 2009 - 2:49 pm
Well, obviously, making a government fall in the middle of its mandate as president of the Council is maybe not the best way to make the cz presidency a successful one.
But to be honest, Topalanek and the ODS didn’t need that last push by the CSSD to completely ruin the reputation, credibility and strength of their presidency: they did that very well themselves.
If anything, this further highlights that a permanent council presidency is needed.
As a federalist, I believe in a European interest, and that the Council, as an institution of the European Union and co-legislator of EU law, should defend it. Very naive, when it is composed of representatives of national governments, I know.
But the implication in the other sense is that Member States should have and keep a government to represent their people, and that those people should have the only say on the formation of their government. This means that I think it is important that governments may be able to change regardless of their Presidency of the Council, without the EU putting pressure on national legislators or governments for changes not to occur. Hence my belief that the rotating presidency has to stop.
Of course, I can only be flabbergasted that the Czech constitution allows for a lame-duck government to tag on for 18 months after having been ousted. I would have hoped that in a democratic state, a motion of no-confidence would trigger elections automatically if a new government can’t receive Parliament’s backing within a short period of time.
I still think the Social-Democrats were right to topple Topalanek’s government. Their role is that of a national opposition, and Topalanek’s gvt has been unsuccessful and has introduced neo-liberal reforms to the economy that I hope the Czech people will try to revert. I only regret it couldn’t happen before Jan 1, maybe we would have had a more successful start of the presidency then, on issues such as Gaza and the Gas crisis.
From a European perspective also, Topalanek’s demise can only be positive. The CSSD is the party which has kept the Lisbon treaty ratification alive in the Czech republic, without their dynamic action on this subject, I am convinced it would have been binned on 14 june 2008.
The linking of the American shield system with the ratification by the ODS govt is also I find a hostage-taking of the rest of the EU, for a project which seems to be running into difficulties, from the US and from Russia. Hopefully this senseless condition will now disappear, paving the way for a quick signature by Klaus if the Irish vote yes in autumn.
On the whole I’m sorry to disagree, but I rubbed my hands when I read of Topalanek’s downfall. The EU has enough incompetent / sleazy / eurosceptical leaders (cross out unnecessary adjectives) and the removal of one of them is something I would celebrate with the CSSD.
#3 by Helena on March 27, 2009 - 3:18 pm
Dear Damien,
no time for legthy analysis now but I strongly feel the need to tell you this: Topolanek may not be the best politician and diplomat but your view of CSSD, its leader and their methods are very naive. But to understand this you would have to be following the Czech political scene since some years and from closer. No matter if you are socialist or “neo-liberal” as you say. And I find your strict criticism of the Czech presidency is not entirely fair. No one succeeded better in Gaza, neither Sarkozy did. And the gaz is flowing, after all.
#4 by Bojan Petrovski on March 30, 2009 - 3:45 pm
Not quite the best choice of words by Mr Topolanek. On the other hand, it was about time someone in Europe to stand up to America.
#5 by anti EU pro freiheit on April 4, 2009 - 12:58 pm
All those who support the EU are traitors to democracy. Powers must be returned to the national parliaments.
#6 by anti EU pro freiheit on April 4, 2009 - 1:06 pm
DamienRM here is clearly an enemy of democracy. He supports the fascist antidemocratic Lisbon Treaty where the majority of people are against it. Which is why elitists denied us 26 referendums because they knew we’d vote no.
DEATH TO THE FOURTH REICH (EU)